False allegations of child abuse are common than most people would want to imagine, mostly between parents or dysfunctional families who are battling for custody. Unfortunately, it is harder for the accused to defend themselves against the charge, especially if it involves the child’s testimony.

It’s easy to get angry with everyone around you when falsely accused of child abuse. While this reaction is typical, you should try to appreciate that child abuse cases have to be investigated and taken seriously. Even though you know that you are innocent, most cases of child abuse are often true, so in the interests of all kids, further investigation is not an option, but a necessity.

Your first step following a false allegation should be to hire an experienced attorney. Yes, you might be innocent and are hopeful that the truth will come out, or that the abuser will come to their senses and withdraw the charges, but that shouldn’t mean that you go alone. Find an experiencedMassachusetts child abuse attorney who has an understanding of the legal system and issues involved to help protect your interests.

There are plenty of things you can do to try to avoid the false allegations of child abuse, have a look at some of them:

If you are always around children

Try to prevent the likelihood of false accusation by avoiding staying with a child in a room alone without the presence of another adult. This is especially true if you are a scout leader, day care worker, coach, as you often are around many minors. The best way to ensure you don’t get abuse allegation is always to have another adult present – they can confirm that nothing inappropriate occurred.

Don’t be part of any activity that can be termed as inappropriate while dealing with children. This includes, but is not limited to telling dirty jokes, making sexually suggestive comments, getting involved in overly aggressive horseplay or roughhousing.

It also pays off to take some time to learn everything you need to know around child abuse and false allegations.Knowledge is power – with an understanding of the matter, it is easier for you not to get involved in risky activities. It also helps you to be aware; it protects you and can come in handy as you work with an attorney – when accused.

Custody dispute

Your first goals should be to solve the custody issue amicably; otherwise, your spouse might opt to take the dirty route and use false accusation as a way to obtain custody or punish you. Be the mature person in the room, and strive to resolve this in the best manner possible.

Stay positive, and close to your children even in the face of an allegation. You should understand that your kids aren’t responsible for custody disputes and everything that’s happening. Don’t take it personally, if they say things that support the false accusation; it is possible that someone has planted the idea in their heads.